Who is affected?

Hepatitis A is widespread in parts of the world that are poor, overcrowded and have limited access to sanitation and clean water.

Regions where hepatitis A is most common include:

sub-Saharan and north Africa

the Indian subcontinent (particularly Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan)

some parts of the Far East (excluding Japan)

the Middle East

South and Central America

Hepatitis A is much less common in high-income countries. There were only 367 reported cases of hepatitis A infection in England and Wales during 2010. It is unclear how many of these infections were actually caught abroad.

Hepatitis A is most common in young children, but often goes undetected as it tends not to cause any symptoms in this age group.

Other groups with an increased risk of catching hepatitis A include:

men who have sex with men

people who regularly inject drugs

sewage workers

people who travel to or work in less developed countries

Vaccination may be recommended for high-risk groups.

Vaccination

As hepatitis A is rare in England, children are not routinely vaccinated against it.

Vaccination is normally only recommended if you are travelling to certain parts of the world or you are at a high risk of infection.

Preventing the spread of infection

An infection of hepatitis A can often be prevented if vaccination and immunoglobulin are provided within two weeks of being exposed to the virus.

If you are diagnosed with hepatitis A, it is important that anyone you could have infected is tested for the condition.

Testing may be recommended for:

people who live with you

people you have recently prepared food for

any person you have had sex with

It is also important to practise good hygiene, such as washing your hands after going to the toilet and before preparing food. Extra precautions include not sharing towels, eating utensils or toothbrushes.